Means for energizing or winding the spring motors of sound-reproducing and other machines



Aug; 5 1924. 1,503,787

ma SPRING mowoas OF soUND FOLK - H. S. MEANS FOR ENERGIZING OR WINDING TREPRODUCING AND OTHER MACHINES Filed April 16 1W w L Patented Aug. 5,1924.

HARRY s. FOLK, or vrnnnounnn, VICTORIA, Aus'rnALia;

MEANS FOR ENERGIZING on win-pine uHEsrnI-Ne-Morons0F-SOU=Nl3-REPRODUC-ING AND OTHER MAGHIN-ES;

Application -fi1ed April 16, 1923. Serial No. 632,495.

To. all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY 'SPnNonRFonu, a subject of the King of GreatBritain and Ireland, and a resident of the city of "Mel bourne, in thecounty of Bourke, State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improved Means for Energizing orWVinding the Spring Motors of Sound-Reproducingand Other Machines, ofwhich the-following is a specification.

This invention relates to the means employed for energizing or windingup the spring motorsof sound reproducingniachines and other apparatus.Such motors usually employ aprojecting crank handle, fixed to anextremity of the motor spindle, for wind ing up the spring-drivingmechanism. This form of operating means has been found objectionable,particularly in sound reproduoingmachines, owing .to the tediousuess ofthe prolonged winding operation and the unsightly appearanceofthe-projecting windinghandle which, besides adversely affecting theperspective of the cabinet, is liable to damage the wearing apparel of aperson coming forcibly into contact therewith.

The primary object/of the present invention is toprovide-improvedmeans-to facilitate the operation ofkenergizingorwinding up such motorsxandto dispense with objectionableprojecting-parts suchfas .thecrank handle or the like, the handoperatedmember which takes the place of such crank handle in accordance with theinvention being comparatively small and unobtrusive and offering noobstruction to persons or objects in close proximity thereto.Furthermore it does not mar the symmetrical appearance of the talkingmachine cabinet and reduces the space occupied by the machine. Theinvention also minimizes the liability of overwinding the spring motor.

Referring to the drawings which form part of this specifioation:-

Figure 1 is a side view showinga "suitable constructional embodiment ofthe invention as applied to the motor of a sound reproducing machine. 7

Figure 2 is an enlargedcross section of part of the invention taken online A--A of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross section on line B-B of F igure 1 lookingin the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the flanged winding drum of theinvention, a portion being broken away to more clearly show the spiralreturning spring housed therein.

i The invention includes a winding drum comprising preferably a barrel)ort-ion 3, and two flanged ends 4 and 6. aid drum is freely mounted ona spindle 7 suitably supported in a bearing bracket 8 depending from apart 9 of the talking machine cabinet or other convenient member. Theflanged end '6 of the drum is preferably made hollow to form a housingfor a spiral tape spring 11, the outer end of which may be fixed to theperiphery of the housing or flange 6 as at 5, while its inner end issecured toa suitable stationary part such as the bearing member 10 whichmay project axially from the bracket 15 to freely supportone end of thewinding drum, the other end of the latter being freely supported by thespindle 7, as in Figure 1. The bracket 8 is forked, as shown, and thespindle 7 projects therethrough and extends toward and i in axialalinement with the bearing pin or member 10.

Suitably secured to the outer face of the flanged end i of the windingdrum is a spring pressed pawl 12, an extremity of which bears againstthe toothed periphery of a ratchet wheel 13 which may be integral withor suitably fixed to the spindle 7. An eyelet 14 may be formed in theflanged end 4 to retain one endof a flexible pull line or cord 16 whichcoils around the barrel portion 3 of the drum and provides the means foroperating, the latter as hereinafter described.

The outer end of the flexible pull line, 16 may pass through apertures18 and 28 suitably located in the walls 9 and 20 of the talking machinecabinet and may be attached .to a ring handle or other suitable handpiece 19. This hand piece 19 may be enclosed within the doors of thecabinet or disposed outside the latter as desired.

Suitable driving connections such as toothed gears 22 are provided totransmit the rotary motion of spindle 7 to the motor spindle 23 whichmay be provided with the usual pawl and ratchet gear 2e, 25

whereby the motor spindle is held against reverse rotation when thespring motor in the casing 26 is running down. Said motor drives therevolving record table of the talking machine or other driven elementthrough the usual transmission gears, one of which is indicated at 27.It will be evident, however, that this part of the apparatus does notform a feature of the inven- 'tion and may vary considerably accordingpiece 19 and is thus uncoiled from the winding drum 3, thereby rotatingthe latter in a forward direction. By engagement of the springcontrolled pawl 12 on'the drum with one of the teeth of the ratchetwheel 13, ro tary motion is transmitted to the spindle 7 andconsequently energizes or winds up the motor 26' when the windingdrum'is thus rotated in a forward direction. During this outwardmovement of the flexible line 16, tension is imparted to the spiralspring 11 housed within the hollow flange 6 of the drum, so that whenthe pulling eitort on the flexible line is relaxed the drum is rotatedin the opposite direction and returned to its normal position under theinfluence of said spring 11 which thus causes the pull line 16 to bere-wound onto the drum. During this reverse rotation of the windingdrum, the pawl 12 runs freely back over the ratchet wheel 13 whichremains station ary with the spindle 7 as the flexible line is rewoundonto the drum. The foregoing pulling action upon the-flexibleline l6 maybe repeated several times if necessary to fully energize the motor.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the manual operation required bythe inventlon is very simple and does not call for-any sustained orlaborious effort on the part of the operator. In addition all externalprojecting parts associated with the winding operation'are eliminated,with the consequent advantages referred to.

The foregoing description refers more particularly to the spring motorsof sound reproducing machines but it willbe obvious that the inventionis similarly applicable to the energizing or winding up off: springmotors used for other purposes.

Having now described my invention what 7 I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1s 1. A wmdmg devlce for sprmgmotors,

comprising a winding spindle adapted to be connected to the motor shaft;a ratchet fixed to the spindle; a winding drum loosely mounted on saidspindle and embodying a central barrel and flanged end members, one endmember being remote from the ratchet and made hollow so as to form ahousing; a pawl pivoted to the other end member of the drum'to'engagesaidratchet; pull cord adapted to be Wound on and unwound from the drumbarrel and to rotate the same during its unwinding; a fixed bearingmember naled in alining bearing openings in the forked bracket andprojecting beyond the same toward the other bracket; a, bearing pinfixed to said other bracket and extending'toward and 'in axial alinementwith the spindle; a ratchet fixed to the. projecting portionot'saidspindle; a: winding drum loosely mounted upon 7 said projectingportion and embodying a central barrel and flanged end members, one endmember being remote from the ratchet and forming a hollow housing intothe center of which said bearing pin loosely projects;.a"pawl pivoted tothe other'end member "to engage said ratchet; a pull-cord adapted to bewound on and unwound from the drum barrel and to rotate the drum, duringitsunwinding, in a direction to cause said pawl todrive said ratchet andspindle .anda return spring coiled within said housingand securedi'atflone end thereto and at the other end to the fixed bearing pin, toantornatically rotate the drum in the opposite direction, so as to windup the pu llcord, when the latter is re leased at the conclusion of theunwinding, operation. r i p In testimony whereoi I attix my signature.

- H. s. FOLK- lVitness: I

VICTOR J (Krinson.

